https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Europe in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Environmental pollution is linked to several mental health disorders in Europe, the European Environment Agency (EEA) has warned, arguing that enforcing legislation would result in Europeans being both less depressed and less anxious. https://www.thelocal.com/20260305/pollution-exposure-in-europe-linked-to-mental-health-problems Thu, 05 Mar 2026 14:10:55 +0100 pollution-exposure-in-europe-linked-to-mental-health-problems Three skiers - two of whom were British - died after an avalanche in the French Alps on Friday, bringing the death toll from avalanches in France since the start of the season to 25. https://www.thelocal.com/20260213/three-dead-after-avalanche-in-french-alps Fri, 13 Feb 2026 15:07:42 +0100 three-dead-after-avalanche-in-french-alps Norway came close to its objective of selling only zero-emission cars in 2025, with electric vehicles accounting for 95.9 percent of new registrations. https://www.thelocal.com/20260102/norway-closes-in-on-goal-of-100-percent-electric-car-sales Fri, 02 Jan 2026 12:34:22 +0100 norway-closes-in-on-goal-of-100-percent-electric-car-sales Norway owes its massive wealth to oil, but reserves are declining. As part of the 2026 budget settlement, the country is to set up a commission to study potential scenarios for the country's post-oil economy. https://www.thelocal.com/20251204/what-does-norways-2026-budget-mean-for-countrys-oil-industry Thu, 04 Dec 2025 12:18:15 +0100 what-does-norways-2026-budget-mean-for-countrys-oil-industry This year's punishing back-to-back heatwaves and ferocious wildfires in France were a "taste of what's to come", as climate change pushed summer temperatures to near record highs, the country's environment minister warned on Tuesday. https://www.thelocal.com/20250902/extreme-summer-heat-of-2025-is-turning-point-says-french-minister Tue, 02 Sep 2025 15:15:56 +0200 extreme-summer-heat-of-2025-is-turning-point-says-french-minister In a small town in the south of France, residents have become used to sharing their space with the local wild goat population - but things are now getting increasingly strained as the goat population has reached around 2,000. https://www.thelocal.com/20250825/video-thousands-of-feral-goats-invade-town-in-south-of-france Mon, 25 Aug 2025 12:14:17 +0200 video-thousands-of-feral-goats-invade-town-in-south-of-france The three new bathing spots in the River Seine have proved popular with Paris tourists and locals alike this summer - but Emma Pearson argues that they represent much more than just a pleasant place to cool off on a hot day. https://www.thelocal.com/20250813/opinion-seine-swimming-is-part-of-a-quiet-revolution-in-paris Wed, 13 Aug 2025 17:45:32 +0200 opinion-seine-swimming-is-part-of-a-quiet-revolution-in-paris Environmental campaign group Greenpeace has slammed the fact that budget flights between destinations in Europe are still often significantly cheaper than travelling by train. https://www.thelocal.com/20250822/unfair-budget-flights-in-europe-up-to-26-times-cheaper-than-train-routes Fri, 22 Aug 2025 18:32:46 +0200 unfair-budget-flights-in-europe-up-to-26-times-cheaper-than-train-routes Wildfires have so far ravaged more than one million hectares of land in European Union countries this year, a record since recording began in 2006, according to AFP analysis of official data. https://www.thelocal.com/20250822/record-eu-wildfires-burnt-more-than-1mn-hectares-in-2025 Fri, 22 Aug 2025 10:56:46 +0200 record-eu-wildfires-burnt-more-than-1mn-hectares-in-2025 Greta Thunberg and more than 100 more climate activists blocked Oslo's main avenue and a bank branch on Thursday to demand Norway shutter its oil industry, police and organisers said. https://www.thelocal.com/20250821/greta-thunberg-and-other-activists-block-oslo-main-street-in-oil-protest Thu, 21 Aug 2025 17:25:08 +0200 greta-thunberg-and-other-activists-block-oslo-main-street-in-oil-protest Harvesting has begun at vineyards across France, an unusually early start to the grape-picking season linked to warming temperatures and early summer heatwaves. https://www.thelocal.com/20250820/french-vineyards-start-abnormally-early-harvest-after-heatwaves Wed, 20 Aug 2025 12:10:35 +0200 french-vineyards-start-abnormally-early-harvest-after-heatwaves From strange orange-tinted clouds to spectacular sunsets, drifting smoke from Spanish and Portuguese wildfires are the cause of bizarre skies in south-west and western France, according to Météo France. https://www.thelocal.com/20250818/bizarre-skies-and-sunsets-in-france-due-to-smoke-from-spanish-wildfires Mon, 18 Aug 2025 16:26:10 +0200 bizarre-skies-and-sunsets-in-france-due-to-smoke-from-spanish-wildfires The combination of a cool, damp July followed by a hot August has created what scientists call a 'perfect summer' for mosquitoes in the greater Paris region. https://www.thelocal.com/20250813/perfect-summer-for-mosquitoes-in-paris-region Wed, 13 Aug 2025 11:53:28 +0200 perfect-summer-for-mosquitoes-in-paris-region A nuclear plant in northern France was temporarily shut down on Monday after a swarm of jellyfish clogged pumps used to cool the reactors, energy group EDF said. https://www.thelocal.com/20250811/jellyfish-force-french-nuclear-plant-shutdown Mon, 11 Aug 2025 16:50:35 +0200 jellyfish-force-french-nuclear-plant-shutdown One woman has died, thousands were evacuated and at least 13 injured in a massive wildfire in southern France - here's the latest on the massive wildfire, which continues to burn despite being declared under control. https://www.thelocal.com/20250806/evacuation-road-closures-and-injuries-latest-on-the-fatal-wildfire-in-southern-france Wed, 06 Aug 2025 11:36:27 +0200 evacuation-road-closures-and-injuries-latest-on-the-fatal-wildfire-in-southern-france An outbreak of the cattle virus Lumpy Skin Disease in France has led to cheese import restrictions and quarantine zones in the Alps. https://www.thelocal.com/20250731/whats-going-on-with-frances-lumpy-skin-disease-outbreak Thu, 31 Jul 2025 18:25:44 +0200 whats-going-on-with-frances-lumpy-skin-disease-outbreak It's a pretty risky business trying to take a blood sample from a polar bear -- one of the most dangerous predators on the planet -- on an Arctic ice floe. AFP journalist Olivier Morin went to Svalbard with the Norwegian Polar Institute to see how it's done. https://www.thelocal.com/20250722/a-close-encounter-with-a-polar-bear-in-arctic-svalbard Tue, 22 Jul 2025 17:29:36 +0200 a-close-encounter-with-a-polar-bear-in-arctic-svalbard June's heatwave has caused French Alps snow and glaciers to melt faster, causing water shortages at mountain shelters just before the summer tourist hiking season gets into full swing. https://www.thelocal.com/20250716/water-shortages-in-french-alps-hit-mountain-lodges-and-hiking-season Wed, 16 Jul 2025 20:09:20 +0200 water-shortages-in-french-alps-hit-mountain-lodges-and-hiking-season Capital cities across the Nordic countries were found to have the cleanest air among Europe's capitals, according to a new study. https://www.thelocal.com/20250710/nordic-capital-cities-top-europes-cleanest-air-rankings Thu, 10 Jul 2025 12:34:16 +0200 nordic-capital-cities-top-europes-cleanest-air-rankings France's most recent heatwave brought with it a fierce debate on air conditioning - which much of the country remains deeply resistant to. Some argue that warming temperatures make widespread AC inevitable, but The Local's editor Emma Pearson explains why she thinks the French are right to resist. https://www.thelocal.com/20250707/opinion-the-french-are-right-to-shun-air-conditioning-even-during-heatwaves Mon, 07 Jul 2025 13:31:35 +0200 opinion-the-french-are-right-to-shun-air-conditioning-even-during-heatwaves